An Exodus

I use simple sculpting tools including stones from Israel.

Traditionally, artists turn to an industry of professional stone carvers to take a stone block and chisel away a rough template to the artist’s specifications. This becomes the starting point for the artist to further refine and bring the stone to life.

I had been itching for some time, to carve a seder plate this way in clay. To do this, I built a wooden seder plate to approximate my intended design. I then replicated this approximation in clay with a plaster mold that I created for this purpose.

Once the clay hardened, I proceeded to cut, chisel and shape the clay into a more refined design with all its details. The Hebrew letters are a traditional Hebrew script as found in a Torah or mezuzah. I emulated a Jewish scribe by hand sculpting each of the letters individually.

1. Original design. 2. Completed wooden template.

Beginning of the sculpting process.

Seder plate nearing the end of the sculpting process.

I’m getting close to being finished with the sculpting. The seder plate will then go through two kiln firings. The first firing will stabilize the piece and the second will be in a special wood-fired kiln to create the raw, organic and archeologic aesthetic I’m drawn to.

Originally, I thought it would be nice to start this project early so I would have more than enough time to complete it before its intended holiday. But, as the many months went by and I resolved one snag after another, it became increasing clear that this wasn’t going to happen before this coming Passover.

My art seems to see things before I do. With this said, I’ve thought there was probably some reason why I’ve had so many stumbling blocks with this piece and why I’ve been on such an extended journey with it. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s been some kind of inner sense and feeling of being in the midst of a modern day exodus — intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. The idea of an exodus feels so much more real to me now than ever before.

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